4 Ways to Get the Most from a Business Conference

You are set to attend a business conference to gain contacts and resources for your classic movie blog. Here are 4 tips to prepare for this event.

1. SET 3 GOALS BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

(a) What are my FINANCIAL GOALS for this classic movie blog? (e.g. I would like to make $2K per month by September.)

(b) What are my CONNECTION GOALS during the conference? (e.g. I would like to attain contact information of 10 commercial artists at the event.)

(c) What are my AFTER-THE-CONFERENCE GOALS? (e.g. I will immediately set up an appointment with the artists for sketches that are to be completed by June 30th.)

2. TAKE BUSINESS CARDS

If you attend events whose topics are more web-based, like VidCon, people hand out fewer business cards there. Attendees just search for your web presence immediately on Facebook or Twitter or some other popular online platform. However, at most conferences, handing out a tiny piece of paper with your contact information on it is still expected.

To help your fellow attendee remember you, in addition to your web address, email address and phone number, you can also place your image on the card. To make it even more memorable, print business cards just for the occasion with a little sentence that says "We met at X Conference in California on May 21-25, 2015."

Be aware that anything larger than a business card - such as flyers or brochures or postcards or buttons- tend to be thrown away as they are cumbersome and become extra garbage that people do not feel like carrying around.

3. USE ONSITE COACHING

Some conferences allow attendees to step up to a microphone in the audience and ask a specific question about business to whoever is onstage. Many conferences also offer texting or tweeting your question and the facilitator chooses an inquiry. Avail yourself of that option. More than likely your question is on someone else's mind; you'll end up helping not only yourself, but your more timid compatriots.

Some conferences offer one-on-one business coaching sessions during the event. You ask a question or two at a table with a hired expert who can give you advice for about 5 minutes. This is perfect for those of us who prefer more privacy.

4. GO WITH AN OPEN MIND

Even if you have already been to similar conferences, even though your blog is already successfully drawing traffic, even if you think you've heard it all before, there may be some little nugget of information that can totally shift your paradigm and bring more success to your business. 


What are your business conference tips? Comment below; let me know.

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This post is a part of the Classic Movie Blog Tips Series. For more, click here.